Jannik Sinner’s commanding 6-0, 6-1 victory over a physically hampered Alexander Zverev in the semifinals of the 2025 Rolex Paris Masters was a statement of intent, propelling him into his first final at the tournament and to the cusp of reclaiming the world No. 1 ranking. The Italian was ruthless in his execution, needing just over an hour to secure his place and extend his remarkable winning streak on indoor hard courts to 25 matches. This win set the stage for a highly anticipated championship clash where more than just the title would be on the line.

The final will see Sinner face Felix Auger-Aliassime, a matchup that Sinner approached with both respect and anticipation. As reported by We Love Tennis, the Italian was effusive in his praise for his upcoming opponent, stating, “He’s playing incredible tennis. He’s improved a lot, especially in the last few months. He’s found his game again. I can’t wait for tomorrow. Playing against him, especially in the final, is a great opportunity for both of us. Obviously, we hope it will be a great final.”

Sinner’s admiration for Auger-Aliassime extends beyond the baseline, as he also highlighted his character, stating, “I’m very happy for Felix. He’s one of the nicest guys on the tour. Sharing the final with him will be something special. We’re both trying to push each other to our limits. It’s going to be very difficult. I’m just very happy. I’m going to enjoy the atmosphere. After this match, I know I’ll have a few days off. That helps too.”

This sets the final up as a contest between two of the most respected and well-liked players on the ATP Tour. However, Sinner’s gracious words should not be mistaken for a lack of competitive fire. He is fully aware of the challenge that awaits. The historical context of their rivalry adds another layer of intrigue to this final; their head-to-head series is perfectly poised at 2-2, but Sinner has won their two most recent encounters in Cincinnati and at the US Open earlier this season.

For Sinner, the final represents an opportunity to capture his first Paris Masters crown, his 23rd career title, and, most significantly, to return to the top of the PIF ATP Rankings, displacing Carlos Alcaraz. Across the net, the stakes are equally high for Auger-Aliassime, who can secure the eighth and final spot in the prestigious Nitto ATP Finals with a victory. Despite the dominant win in the semis, Sinner also acknowledged his opponent’s problems that hindered them in the match.

Jannik Sinner made his rival’s problems heard

So, the semifinal everyone was buzzing about between Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev, which was a rematch of last week’s Vienna Open final, turned out to be surprisingly one-sided. Zverev, who had fought hard to save two match points in a tough, two-and-a-half-hour quarterfinal against Daniil Medvedev just the day before, seemed to struggle physically right from the beginning. His forehand just wasn’t working, and he had a tough time getting into any kind of groove with Sinner putting on that constant pressure.

Sinner took just 15 minutes to jump ahead 3-0, and he wrapped up the first set 6-0. This marked the first time Zverev had lost a set without winning a game since the 2023 French Open. After the match, Sinner did something really touching. He wrote “Get Well Soon” on the camera lens for his opponent. You could really see his empathy shining through in what he said on the court.

“When you drop the physicality like he did, you can’t find full power on the serve. Obviously I’m happy to be in the final. But it’s not how you want to arrive. Playing against Sascha is always a special occasion. Today he was not 100%. We saw that. He was struggling physically,” the Italian said.

Sinner recognized Zverev’s tough schedule, pointing out how much effort it takes to compete at such a high level week after week. He mentioned, “He had a very tight schedule in the past months. Yesterday he won an incredible match from 2 match points down. It’s also difficult mentally and physically. He made the final in Vienna. Semis here again. It’s an incredible run for him. We all hope he gets better and fit for Turin. From my side I’m very happy to be in the final.”

This show of sportsmanship really highlights the respect between the two rivals, especially since their head-to-head record is now 5-4, with the Italian currently in the lead. We’ll just have to wait and see what he does against Felix Auger-Aliassime that might lead him to victory.